Shloka 14

लक्ष्मणोपदेशः

Lakshmana Consoles Rama on Fate, Fortitude, and Right Action

Devanagari script

त्वव्दिधा न हि शोचन्ति सततं सत्यदर्शिनः।सुमहत्स्वपि कृच्छ्रेषु रामानिर्विण्णदर्शनाः।।3.66.14।।

Transliteration

tvadvidhā na hi śocanti satataṃ satyadarśinaḥ |

sumahatsv api kṛcchreṣu rāmānirviṇṇadarśanāḥ || 3.66.14 ||

Translation

ഹേ രാമാ! സത്യദർശികളായ, നിർവ്യാകുലദൃഷ്ടിയുള്ള നിനക്കുപോലുള്ളവർ മഹാകഷ്ടങ്ങളിലുപോലും നിരന്തരം ശോകിക്കുകയില്ല; സത്യത്തിൽ സ്ഥാപിതമായ ദൃഷ്ടി നിരാശയിൽ വീഴുകയില്ല.

Word by Word

• tvadvidhāḥ: men like you
• tvadvidhāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + vidha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (tvad-vidha = ‘of your kind’)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध/negation particle

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis/indeed)

• śocanti: grieve
• śocanti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śuc (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• satatam: always
• satatam: Adverbial (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्ययीभूतम् (adverbial accusative)

• satyadarśinaḥ: truth-seers
• satyadarśinaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: satya (प्रातिपदिक) + darśin (कृदन्त; √dṛś धातु, णिनि/इन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-प्रायः तत्पुरुष (‘truth-seers’)

• sumahatsu: in very great
• sumahatsu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su- (उपसर्ग/प्रत्ययार्थ) + mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; विशेषण (kṛcchreṣu)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; concessive ‘even’

• kṛcchreṣu: in hardships
• kṛcchreṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛcchra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• rāma: O Rama
• rāma: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/सम्बोधन), एकवचन

• anirviṇṇadarśanāḥ: undepressed in outlook
• anirviṇṇadarśanāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (नञ्) + nirviṇṇa (कृदन्त; √vid/√vind? here √vid ‘to be dejected’ in nirviṇṇa, past part.) + darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि (‘whose vision is not dejected’), विशेषण (tvadvidhāḥ/satyadarśinaḥ)

Context

O Rama, you always see the truth. So in the face of great difficulties men like you, whose vision is not blurred, should not lose heart.

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Lakshmana
• Satya (truth)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Truth-aligned living produces steadiness: dharma rests on satya and clear perception, which prevents prolonged despair and enables right action.

What is the narrative situation?

Lakshmana reminds Rama of his own established character—truthful and clear-minded—to pull him back from overwhelming grief.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Satyadarśitā (truth-seeing) and anirviṇṇatā (freedom from despondency): inner clarity that endures hardship.